


The Tarot Reader and the Tattoo Artist

by Emeraldfaun



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Eventual Sex, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Trans Junkrat | Jamison Fawkes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 15:07:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7762579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emeraldfaun/pseuds/Emeraldfaun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Wheel of Fortune, The Hanged Man, The Devil, The Lovers, and Death. Such an unlikely spread... fitting for an unlikely couple...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tarot Reader and the Tattoo Artist

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by this post http://floralunares.tumblr.com/post/148881148162/mozg-art-tattoo-and-piercing-au-where-these-two
> 
> Some trigger warnings not mentioned in the tags: religion based hate crime mentions, police brutality, and drug usage (specifically weed). Also, not really a trigger warning, but Mako isn't the nicest to Jamie in this fic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw, the tarot spread Flora's using for this chapter: http://claudialala.tumblr.com/post/78484368218/tarotgram-as-promised-your-bonus-spread-the

Jamie had been working at The Overtime Tattoo and Piercing Parlor for at least half a year now and had never once talked to the shop's witch doctor. Or, at least, that was the man's self claims... apparently. Again, Jamie had never talked to the guy himself so he couldn't be sure. But the way his coworkers gossiped about him sure did spook the place up every once in a while.

And today looked like it was going to be another spooky day.

"Did you hear what Flora said about the 31st of October?" The older tattoo artist whispered to his coworker as she watched some sort of ballet recording on her smart phone.

"Halloween? What did he say about Halloween, Gabe?" The younger tattoo artist had popped one earbud out but still kept the other one in and would not look up. "Did he give you the spookies again?"

She chided Gabriel playfully, but clearly, the man was frightened. "Not funny, Amelie! He said that that is the day that the veil between the world beyond this and our world is the thinest! Infact, he even quoted that strange old book of his-!"

"Ughhh, Gabe," Amelie finally paused the video and turned to her friend, not exactly interested, but now slightly concerned. "Those are just fairy tales, can't you see? 'Oracles' like him use them just to sell their practice and put food on the table like the rest of us, alright-?"

"But-but-but-!"

"Enough, Gabe!" She plugged her other earbud in and pressed play. "Let me have my damn break!"

"Is it me, or do you take too many 'damn breaks,' Amelie?" A tall, largely built man wearing a dust mask stepped into the room.

Amelie stuttered, "Mako! I-I-I can explain-!"

Mako rubbed his temples, having forgotten how intimidating his form was if used with the right tone of voice. "It's alright, Amelie. Just get out to the front desk and relieve Jamie of his shift, okay?" Amelie quickly nodded her head and ran to the front. "And make sure none of the customers see you watching ballet!" Mako made sure to call after her before she disappeared from sight. He turned his attention to a still cowering Gabriel and sighed. "What's this about our tarot card reader now?"

Gabriel shook a little less, now that Mako was talking to him. The man was so good with diplomacy that he hadn't even said anything to really calm his nerves and yet Gabriel knew he was going to be okay. "Well, you see, he was talking up a storm about some, uh, year wheel thing and something called 'Samhain' that also takes place around Halloween I think and I just got... all scaredy cat as usual, y'know?" Talking about it with Mako was making him feel better already, but there were still some thing he wanted to ask Mako on the subject. "Hey uh... _mano y mano_ , Mako, just between you and me... do you think what Flora says is really true? You know, about magic and spirits and all that?"

"I'll believe it when I see it." Mako finally replied.

That only made Gabriel's nerves worse. "But Flora showed me so much, Mako, I just don't think I can handle it!" Gabriel put his head into his hands and shook his head.

"I'm tellin' you, Gabe, it's like what Amelie said. Nothing but fairy tales." He gently rubbed his coworker's neck. "If you want, you can take the rest of the day off. I know you have no more real appointments today."

"No, I'm fine. I'm not that scared. I think I just need to take a short break and text Jack or something like that." He went to head outside but first turned back. "But thank you. Thank you, Mako. You're always a big help."

"No problem." Mako smiled under his dust mask and then took up the broom in the corner. The place may not have been a hair salon, but still, he liked to keep his business on the professional side.

He focused on picking up every ounce of dust and lint and began to lose himself in the sweeping. So it came as quite a shock when he was harshly slapped on the back and heard, "Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!"

"Oh, hey, Jamie." Mako didn't even turn to face him.

"'Sup, mate?" Jamie ran around to Mako's front to face him. When Mako was clearly not going to look him in the eye, he casually leaned onto a chair. "Overheard that old owly face is all shook up over our local witch doctor again!"

"So it seems." Mako just kept sweeping.

Jamie was silent for a bit, not sure how to respond to Mako. This wasn't a first between them. "Yeah well... I think it was really nice of you to cheer him up like that." Jamie was trying his hardest but Mako wasn't in the mood. Then, an impulsive idea took over his brain. "Hey, you wanna screw me in the bathroom again-?"

Mako's eyes popped open at that, but he did not even glance at Jamie. "Jamie, I told you, that was a horrible idea and I have no intentions of ever doing it again."

Jamie took Mako by the face and made him look him in the eyes. "Aw, c'mon, my sweet lil'Roaddie, don't you just wanna-?"

Suddenly, with a grunt, Mako tore himself away and slammed the broom against the wall. He finally looked at Jamie, but he wasn't happy at all. Jamie was stunned in place by the negative emotions painted on his boyfriend's face and was still stunned until Mako finally walked out.

He really didn't know where it had gone wrong... truth be told, he really didn't know where it ALL went wrong. He thought of his options. Gabriel was still on break and Amelie wouldn't care. According to Gabriel, the work Flora did was fortune telling. And Jamie felt like he could really use some fortune right now.

* * *

"Yes?" Was the answer from the closet of Flora's work space when Jamie knocked on the open door. The doorway was covered with a few curtains and dim flickering lights emanated from the room. Before Jamie could even respond to whom he assumed was Flora, Flora called out again, "You're Mr. Fawkes, aren't you? One of the tattoo artists?" Jamie tried to open his mouth when Flora spoke again. "I could tell becuase I haven't seen those shoes on anyone else."

A bit confused by all this and everything that had happened with Mako, he dumbly responded. "Um... yes, my last name is Fawkes and I work as a tattoo artist here! I'd be a piercer as well if it wasn't for my overzealous hands, or so as Mako says!" He chuckled a bit at the last part. "You can call me Jamie, by the way!"

Flora laughed a little too. "Ah, a simple man you are. Not to say that first impressions are lasting impressions, Jamie. You may enter."

The way that Flora spoke... it entranced Jamie. So he pushed the curtains to the side and entered the room.

From how Gabriel had previously gossiped, Jamie was expecting vials of blood, pentagrams, and pieces of animal sacrifices. But honestly, the only thing out of those three in the room were the pentagrams and there were really only two: one on Flora's necklace and another on a shelf behind him. Flora was hired a few months before Jamie, but they didn't exactly have room (nor wanted to make special room) for their tarot card reader so they just emptied out one of the closets. So the room was extremely cramped. But it was still able to fit two chairs (one in which Flora was sitting in) and a table between the chairs. There was also what looked like a small pedestal in the corner but as Jamie was trying to analyze its displayed contents, Flora motioned for him to sit. "Have a seat, Jamie. You are surely welcomed." Something about Flora's voice was just so... soothing. He had a Spanish accent like Gabriel but it was much less grumbly, more... flowing... "Unless, of course, you have to make this quick." His voice soured as he said this. Something told Jamie he didn't get much interaction during the work day.

"Oh, no, no, I'm not here on behalf of Mako if that's what you're askin'." He didn't look up at Flora, but not out of rudeness or spite. He was simply nervous and didn't know exactly how to ask for what he wanted from him.

"I had a feeling." Flora said as if it was a matter of fact. "Actually... I have a great feeling you need something from me."

Jamie's back shot up straight. He suddenly had a grave feeling that he had asked for more than he could bargain... but all Flora had done was talk to him. And not even menacingly. He couldn't act like a dick towards him for that. So he decided to be honest. "Ahhh, um, yes, indeed I do." Jamie was finding it difficult to come out and say "I'm fucking our boss and now I'm having relationship problems" but he knew what had to be done. "Well, you see... my boss... I mean, OUR boss! Yes, our boss... Mako-."

"The one you are in love with, yes?" Flora held out an open hand as if to gently point without being so rude as to actually point.

Jamie then thought that now was the time he could accusatory, before he got in too deep into this fortune telling. "Hey, wait, how do you know that? I've never seen you leave this room!"

Flora chuckled a little. "Jamie, please. My office is only a few steps from yours." Jamie's face was becoming visibly disgruntled at this, so Flora decided to play the defensive. "Did you think me deaf? Not to say that deaf witches can't do great magic-."

"So you ARE a witch?" Jamie quickly replied, wanting to change the topic.

Flora turned the question around. "Do you believe in witches?"

Jamie flung his head and arms back in his seat. "Ugh, I'm not sure what to believe anymore!" He just stared at the ceiling for a little bit, not sure where to take this.

But Flora had an idea, if only to get under Jamie's skin once more. "I'm sorry for frightening Mr. Reyes." Jamie slowly faced him, as if horrified once more that Flora knew something he apparently shouldn't. But Flora played it cool and kept talking, "You must understand, he is really the only one around here who will listen to me about what I have to say. Mr. Rutledge does as well, but I find him a tad too..." Flora shifted in his seat a little, trying to find a gentle way to put what he wanted to say. ".... Overbearing for my tastes. And Ms. Lacroix?" He chuckled a little. "Thankfully, she wouldn't burn me alive for my craft but I'm sure she'd behead me if she knew of the mind games I played with her friend-."

"So you ARE a witch!" Jamie repeated, this time his body language was aggressive.

Flora put his hands up. "Alright, alright, I confess. Good thing this isn't a trial, because I would do awful against such a handsome young face." Fortunately, Jamie didn't catch onto the flirtatious remark, so Flora just continued. "I would hate to go out as my mother did-."

But eventually, Jamie did catch on. "Hey, don't be flirting with me! I'm dating your BOSS!"

"I am not stupid, if that's what you're implying." Flora sighed and folded his arms. "Now, what is it that you wanted?"

Jamie wanted to just throw his arms in the air and give up. This man was a smooth talker, Mako was a smooth talker... could he find no man on the planet Earth to talk to that wasn't trying to get something out of him? But still, Flora was the best option right now. "I would like my goddamn fortune read." Flora's eyes widened. Jamie could barely see it in the dim light (especially considering that his eyes were still adjusting to the lighting). Why the hell was Flora using electronic tea lights instead of actual candles anyway if he was really a witch? This man kept getting weirder and weirder... "I just... I've been having difficulty with Mako and... it all started a few weeks ago when he brought this woman into the shop. To be quite honest... I think he's cheating on me."

Flora blinked blankly at him for a moment before finally responding, "Geez... I... I'm really sorry for that, Jamie." Jamie couldn't believe his eyes or ears. Flora was actually being earnest for once.

"Gah, it's alright!" Jamie fold his arms over his head and reclined in the chair. "It's not like he's been my longest relationship or anything..."

Oh.

Oh my.

It took Flora a few seconds but eventually, he grabbed the deck of cards and began shuffling, not breaking eye contact with Jamie. As he continued shuffling, Jamie was silent. "... You've never had your fortune read before through tarot, have you?"

Jamie folded his arms and spat, "What's it to ya?"

"While I'm shuffling and charging the circle, you are to state your intent." He thought a little then added, "In question form, as clearly as you can." He kept shuffling.

Jamie suddenly became shy. He didn't like it when he wasn't in the know, which he felt like with Mako all the goddamn time. Then, self-confidence took over, causing doubt to cross his mind. "How the hell am I supposed to believe any of this will work? That you'll really be telling my fortune?"

Flora grinned and Jamie felt himself shiver. "I had a feeling that would come up soon enough. You see, Jamie, you don't have to believe me or your fortune or anything for that matter." Flora tilted his head and raised a brow, smiling strangely. "But I do have an offer you can't refuse."

"Which would be what?"

"A bet. And since you're young to the magic ordeal, I'll give you something simple for your first." Flora tapped his nails against the cards. "If your fortune comes true within the week, you... will give me a free tattoo."

"Free ink? That's all you want?" Jamie wasn't convinced. There had to be more to this.

But Flora just shrugged casually. "Yep. Take it or leave it."

For some reason, Jamie couldn't shake the phrase "making a deal with the devil" from his mind, but still, he answered, "Alright, let's do this then." Flora began shuffling the cards again, not breaking eye contact with Jamie. Jamie thought about it hard and long. "I... I want to know if Mako will be the last man I will ever love."

Flora paused shuffling for only a moment but then continued. "Honestly, I never really liked asking the universe about love. The answers are always messy and usually change rather quickly. But I have a different spread in mind that will be of use." He then took a few deep breathes, murmured some indiscernible language, then slowly laid five cards down, one at the top, then two rows of two below it. He then settled the other cards to the side. "Alright, let's see here now..." Jamie leaned in a little, holding back simply out of fear. And not only at his fortune. Flora slid his finger atop the first card that was laid down and gently flipped in over. "Ah, The Wheel of Fortune. Interesting..." Jamie waited silently, but impatiently, so Flora got onto it. "This card typically means lucky days, the hand of fate, joyous results, and, most of all, change, for a wheel is forever moving and change is the only constant in our lives."

"... Oh." Was all Jamie could say. He looked confused, but his heart felt light.

Flora went on to explain, "You see, Jamie, in this spread, the first card is a description of the current situation, and so this clearly means something is changing for the better." Jamie's face lit up a little and Flora reciprocated the genuine smile. "Now, let's see what's behind door number two..." Flora flipped the card and it read "The Hanged Man." Jamie suddenly became somber, the joy that was on his face beginning to fade. "Now now, Jamie, there is no need to fear. The language of the Major and Minor Arcanas is obscure and shrouded in symbolism and, most of all, interpretation of the readers. ... Like I said, there is no need to fear." This just all went over Jamie's head so Flora continued, "The Hanged Man typically means waiting and patience, salvation and an end to suffering, and, in your case I believe, a change of perspective, for in this spread, the second card describes what you can do about the situation."

Jamie was most certainly confused by this. "But, I love Mako! Why would I want to change my mind about him?"

"What we want and what is good for us isn't always the same thing, Jamie. Don't you remember your first card?" Jamie grumbled a little, so Flora just continued. "And now, magical number three..." When Flora flipped the third card, Jamie audibly gasped. Flora didn't have to say a word for him to know this one: The Devil. Flora looked Jamie straight in the eye but gently. "Come now, Jamie, what did I just say about the cards? You can only fear them if you allow them to have that power over you." He then looked back to the card, tracing his finger tip over the images of the bound woman on the left, to the devil himself, to the bound man on the right. "You can see that this woman and man are bound to this devil's tree but do you see how loose their chains are? That means that they are not bound by contract or force, but rather by their own will and sin. Specifically, when reversed as is such in this case, The Devil means an unwillingness to break a bond that has an empty future. The person could be suffering from addiction or obsession... or simply an inability to say goodbye."

Jamie quickly stuttered out, "A-and what does this mean in this spread?"

Flora looked up at him and their eyes met. Jamie was absolutely wracked with fear and though the blonde had been rather rude to Flora, Flora knew that divination wasn't something to be messed with, so he just answered, "Card number three in this spread describes what you cannot do about the situation, aka, card number one."

Jamie thought about it a little. Card number one said happy-go-lucky change was on its way... but card number two said the only thing he could do was change his mind and card number three was saying that he couldn't change an obsession of his. "Um, so... card number three is telling me that I can't stop chaining myself to an endless path and move on?"

Flora simply nodded. "Yes," Seeing Jamie's expression, he then added, to comfort him, "Whatever that may be is up to your interpretation. And don't think that this means you'll always be chained to that tree, remember, change is the only constant in our lives." Jamie nodded his head silently, a little comforted by Flora's words. "And now, number four..." He flipped the card. "Hm, The Lovers..."

Jamie brightened up again. "Lovers?" Perhaps there was hope for him and Mako after all.

"Do not be decieved, Jamie. The Lovers card means you have a great decision to make, Jamie. One that will be the test of your growth and maturity. And you see, Jamie, card number four in this spread describes the lesson that is to be learned in this situation." Jamie gulped. He knew that Mako and his coworkers constantly chided him, telling him to "grow up" and he knew their frustrations had a grain of truth. But Flora continued, "Ah yes, five, the holy number..." Flora hovered over the final card before flipping it.

When he did, Jamie nearly jumped in his seat and was about to leave the room.

The card read "Death."

Seeing how shaken Jamie was and knowing it'd be bad for both of them (and probably the surrounding shop as well) if Jamie broke the circle then and there by leaving before Flora could dissolve the circle and ground, he did something he never did his customers. He grabbed Jamie by the hand, but not neccesarily as harsh as a grip but rather a firm reassurance. "Jamie, do not panic. Though this card has a grim name, again, it should not be thought of with face value." Jamie stayed but remained shaky, so Flora gently moved from his hand to his chin, gently gesturing for him to look Flora in the eyes. "You see, Jamie, Death means change: endings and beginnings, resolution, and reflection." As Flora spoke, Jamie heard him but for the most part, all he was taking in was the coldness of Flora's hand on his face. It was quite a change from Mako's warmth... and for some reason, he liked it. "The fifth card in this spread describes what the outcome of the situtation, again, card one, will be."

"So..." Jamie took a moment to take it all in. "... You're telling me that there is going to be a lot of change in my life?"

"That's what I'm getting as well. Admittedly, us witches usually do not concern ourselves with the path to the outcome but rather the outcome itself, but divination is a whole other story." Flora scanned the cards again, his voice filled with pompous attitude. "And quite a fascinating story this is..."

Jamie moved to get up. "Uh, thanks for that reading, Flora! But I gotta go now-!"

"Actually, wait." Jamie plopped himself back down. "I believe a blessing is in order. ... What? I do it for all of my customers!" Jamie huffed but remained in his seat. Flora placed his opens palms an inch away from Jamie's forehead and Jamie could feel that coolness again. "Oh Athena, great lady of the mind behind the hands of war, give wisdom to this young man to know what is right, if not for everyone around him, then for himself so that he may in turn blossom and eventually help his fellow brothers and sisters." Flora then took a few deep breaths, spoke some more indiscerable language, and then lifted his head. "You may leave now, if you wish." Jamie absolutely did wish so and practically crashed into Amelie on his way out of Flora's office. But before he did, he heard the older man call out to him, "And do not forget our bet! Seven days!"


End file.
